Difference Between Sales and Marketing

Difference Between Sales and Marketing:

Marketing and sales both are the important activities and there is difference between marketing and sales.

Difference Between Sales and Marketing:

Marketing and sales both are the important activities for every organization. Marketing is broader term than sales. It consist public relations, branding, advertising, sales etc. Hence sales is the one part or activity of the marketing. Marketing is not related with the closing the sale. When you interacting with the consumer and closing the sale than it is sales.

Marketing is creating the demand in the market while sales is fulfilling that demand. Marketing is more related with branding while sales is related with one on one marketing. For example, when you do all activities to reach mass audiences and consumer to create demand than you are doing marketing and when you are reaching with your prospects one by one via direct calls than your doing sales. It mean sales is a direct activity while marketing is indirect activity.

In small firms usually marketing and sales both are handled by the same department while in big firms or organizations there are different departments for both the activities.
Marketing creates a brand image of the product or service while sales is only related with selling the product or service. Both the activities are interrelated at the some point of the time. When a person is doing marketing than he doing sales on a large scale while when a person selling than at the same time he is doing marketing.

Without marketing you can not sale the product or service. Therefore marketing is more important than sales.

There is one more important difference between marketing and sales and that is the focus. Marketing focuses on long term concerns while sales is related with short term focus.
Marketing is related with educating and creating awareness of the product or service in the market. Sales is also related with educating and creating awareness but the difference is scale marketing do these activities on a huge scale while sales does these activities on very short scale and most of the times one on one basis. Sales is more related with interpersonal and interaction with prospects.

Top Sales Mistakes

If you are in sales then mistakes are inevitable.

To be honest sales is the only profession in which you can not avoid the mistakes. And to learn I would suggest you, make mistakes because sales is the only profession where the results of mistakes usually is not severe as like in other professions. These mistakes are your best learning sources. If you are in sales and you are not making mistakes then I assure you that you are a mediocre or average salesman.
“The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one.” ~Elbert Hubbard

In sales confidence plays a major role. The number one and only mistake you should avoid is – lack of confidence. If you are in sales and continuing fear of making mistakes than your confidence level is very low. Fear of making mistakes in sales is a major demotivating factor. “Make mistakes and learn from them” that is the formula of success in sales. If you want to be a sales super star than you have to apply the above formula. Show me any sales super star who has succeeded without above formula and I will give up my tweeting habit.

Many sales guys ask me, “Lalit, what is the secret of success in sales?” There is not any secret you have to learn and you have to be updated according to new changes. Because every change whether in technology or whether in products it impacts sales directly. You can not live in yesterday’s method and expect to be a sales super star in today’s world. Every sales star always focus on upgrading, they always work according to new technologies.

Too many salesmen talk, talk and only talk. Avoid this mistake because if you are taking more then listening then you are offering too much information and opening your all sales secrets to customers. Try to avoid this overselling.

Don’t waste your time after closing the sales and. You can take referrals for future but don’t waste much time after closing the sales because you can lose your sale in process of being too smart.
Lack of preparation is another important mistake that you should avoid. Poor product knowledge can ruin your sales carrier but remember never do same old sales pitch to every prospect. Many sales persons especially medical representatives do same sales pitching to every prospects. You should prepare your sales pitch according to your prospects. To do this you should get proper knowledge of your customers.

In the end I would like to give you three magical words to all the sales people and these words will help you to achieve glorious success – Update, Update and Update.

Decision Making Tips for Leaders

Decision Making Tips for Leaders:

Can you imagine a leader who does not make decision?

No, you can not because leadership is not possible without decision making. A leader has to make decision and some times hard decision that's why he or she is a leader. Hence decision making is an important skill for leaders.

How to develop effective decision making skill?

Have you heard this great quote?

“There is no more miserable human being than one in whom nothing is habitual but indecision.” William James

This quote tells you how important is decision making for you. Some leaders always ask me, "Lalit, decision making is not easy for us because we have to make some hard decisions and many times we don't have proper analytical resources for decision making and we have to make many decisions for first time. Please give us a great tip for decision making."

Yes, there is a great tip for you - The boldest decisions are the safest. Take bold decision like every great leader does.

Here are other tips -

1. Keep in mind a clear vision of the organization’s goals.

2. Your decision should be insightful.

3. Great decision always involve risks so avoid zero risk.

4. Analyse but beware of "analysis paralysis."

5. Listen to your gut.

6. Do proper research before making decision.

7. You should have a back-up plan if the decision is a major one.

What are the other tips?

Blue Ocean or Red Ocean

Blue Ocean or Red Ocean:

Are you in the blue ocean or red ocean?

Red Ocean Strategy: If you are competing like many businesses in the existing market then you are in the red ocean. In the red ocean, businesses focus on existing customers and try to exploit existing demand. People of the red ocean give greater value to customers at a higher price and reasonable value to customers at a lower price. In this ocean you have two choices to beat the competition – either differentiate your product or lower your cost. This strategy is about brand management.

Blue Ocean Strategy: If you creating a new and uncontested market then you are in the blue ocean
In this strategy, you explore a new market hence competition becomes irrelevant. In the blue ocean, businesses focus on non-existing customers. People of the blue ocean create new demand and give greater value to customers at a lower price. This strategy is about brand creation.

People always ask me which strategy is better?

This is a very tough question because every strategy has its own advantages and disadvantages.
If you are able to take the maximum risk, if you are ready to face a new challenge because it is not easy for you to create a new market, if you want limitless growth, if you can innovate, if you don’t want to compete with each other in the existing market, if you are ready to completely explore new market if you are not boring kind of person and love thrilling adventures and want to do something different than go for blue ocean strategy.

If you want a safe game, easy entry and your objectives are only to earn money then go for the red ocean strategy.

In the end, I would say know what works and what does not work for you.

Top Three Selling Tips

Top Three Selling Tips: 

If you want to be a successful salesman than you need these three tips. 

Top Three Tips for Salesmen:

There are two categories of salesmen

1. Unlucky Salesmen - These salesmen make 40 cold calls in a day and get 5 productive call and spend 5 hours of the day in cold calling.

2 Lucky Salesmen - Lucky salesmen make 10 call and get 5 productive calls and spend 3 hours of the day in cold calling.

Which category do you belong to?
Are the salesmen of second category are really lucky?
No, They are not lucky. They are only better prepared.

1. Preparation - In sales always remember this quote - “The better you prepare, the luckier you get.” - Lalit Bhojwani
Before going in to the market or starting cold calling take 15 minutes to prepare because these 15 minutes will save your two hours. You have to do two kind of preparations and both are very important for you -

A. Prepare about your product - People buy product from people who have good knowledge about the product or service that they are selling. Try to get as much as knowledge about your products or services and competitors products or services.

B. Prepare about your prospect - If you have good knowledge about your prospect than you will feel confident and you will close the sale easily.
If you are half prepared than your chances of closing sale are half. If you are a salesman who works in the field than your folder and POP material should be placed in your bag properly.

2. Be Honest - Try to be honest because it will create a different image and reliable image in your market. Honestly will pay you in long term and you will also get support of your customers. An honest salesman never do one time sale but they get repeat sale from the same customers. This is very necessary tip for every salesman because an honest salesman represents an honest image of his or her organization.

3. Talk less and Listen more - There is a wrong notion in the mind of people and even in the mind of salesmen that a talkative salesman is a better salesman. I have seen many customers who complain that salesmen do not listen their needs, problems and issues. If you are trying to sale something than you have to listen carefully because only than you will be able to understand what exactly the customer is saying and what exactly the customers wants. Listening not only helps you close the sale but you will get some great tips for improving your product, your service and your presentation. Talking less does not mean you have to be dumb. You can be enthusiastic and at the same time less talkative.

What are the other good tips?  

Difference Between Vision and Goals

Difference Between Vision and Goals:

Generally people get confused between goals and vision but both are very different. Here are some important differences –

1. In order to achieve your vision you have to set goals. It means vision is the inspiration that inspires you to set your goals. For example if your vision is to change the world than you have to set the goals to achieve your vision.
If you have not set your goals yet than please read the simplest process of goal setting. And if you have not set your vision or you are confused about setting your vision than answer this question – why do you want to achieve your goals? The answer of this question will let you know your vision.

2. Goals are specific but vision is foresight and vision is a big picture that how you or your organization will look like.

3 Goals are measurable but it is very difficult to measure vision because vision is related with dreams and long term view. It means your goals can be short term and long term goals but vision only focuses on long term view.

4. Goals have specific deadline but vision does not have any specific deadline.

5. Usually goals are achievable or should be achievable. But vision should be complex. Here is a great quote about vision –

“If you can reach your vision with your current resources, you need a bigger vision!” – Dan Rockwell

6. Goals are realistic and should be realistic but vision should be futuristic.

7. Goals are mostly tangible and tangible goals can be traced but vison is intangible and you can not trace the intangible vision.

Beat The Christmas Rush—Get Your Eyeglasses Early:

Beat The Christmas Rush—Get Your Eyeglasses Early:

Brighten Up this Holiday Season with Zenni Optical’s Christmas glasses. Did you know you can save a ton of money and get the same quality glasses if you go online? ZenniOptical is the #1 online eyeglasses store offering high quality prescription eyeglasses from $6.95 prescription eyeglasses. We feel prescription eyeglasses are a health item necessity for most wearers, and to that end we take considerable pride in being able to bring to all a very high quality product of great durability, safety and comfort at truly reasonable and affordable prices.

Benefits: Here are some benefits that you will get  

1. Free US shipping on orders over $50: You are going to get free US shiiping on orders over $50.

2. $6.95 prescription eyeglasses: Just For $6.95, you can find a pair of eyeglasses.

3. Reasonable and affordable price. Zenni Optical offers a deep discount compared to your average optical shop.

4. Quality -  Most customers state that their Zenni Optical glasses have excellent durability.

5. Variety - Zenni Optical offers a wide variety of styles, shapes, sizes, and colors of glasses.

6. No middlemen Role - Zenni Optical offers you facility of direct buying from your home and this saves your money.

7. Convenience - You can choose from a number of different styles, and you don’t have to leave the comfort of your home.

The time for excuses is over. If you've been holding off on buying glasses because of the cost or your budget. This Christmas holiday season, save more when you buy glasses from Zenni Optical because Zenni Optical offers cheap, good quality glasses shipped straight to your door.

This Christmas season do visit Zenni Optical to buy  eyeglasses and  share your experience with me. Sponsored by - http://www.zennioptical.com/

Best CRM Software for Handling Leads

CRM stands for Customer relationship management. If you are in sales than CRM software becomes essential for you because CRM software organise all kind of information about the e-mails and all interactions with your customers. CRM software has now becomes mandatory for strong sales and customer care. The best thing about using CRM is that your sales people do not have to waste much time in managing administrative tasks.

Do you know the most innovative and best CRM software application on the market?

It is AIMcrm, because this software is unique in the CRM software market. It provides an automations software in which much of the busy-work of your sales people that are used to doing administrative tasks will be replaced by automation and perfect record keeping of AIMcrm. AIMcrm automatically guides your sales team whome to contact and whome they have to send email. AIMcrm`s unique live filters and Lead Attention Meter™ make deciding what to do next a no-brainer, keeping everyone on-task and happy.

Some of the great features of AIMcrm are:

• Ad-Hoc Custom Reports
• Complete Website Integration
• WYSIWYG Form Builder
• POP3 Email Integration
• Web Visitor Analytics
• Activity and Event Based Segmentation
• Phone Tracking and Routing
• Comprehensive Access Controls
• Lead Vendor Integration

Considering above features it is now obvious that your sales people will love AIMcrm. If you want to do lead management and improve your quality of sales lead than AIMcrm it the best software for you. So if you want to increase your sales close rate than use AIMcrm.
Sponsored by AIMcrm - http://www.aimcrm.com/

Standards for Social Media Behavior

As you know the medium of Social Media is growing at an unexpected rapid pace. Hence being a Social Media King it is necessary for me to set standards for the world on how to act and how to behave in Social Media. I have set two tests for you-
1. Mama Test - Whatever you are doing at social networking sites, whether you are posting comments or making fake profiles - ask yourself a question before posting updates or doing anything on social media. If my Mama were to see doing this, would she proud of me or would she hang her head in shame? If you passed this test then feel free to act on social media.

If the above test does not work I have another test for you that is called Baba Test.

2. Baba Test -  Whatever you are doing at social networking sites, whether you are posting comments or making fake profiles - ask yourself a question before posting updates or doing anything on social media. If my children were to see me doing what I am doing on Social Media, would I want to see it, or would I be embarrassed? If you passed Baba Test then feel free to post or act on Social Media.

Inspiration - From the book "You Can Win"

Great Example of Bad Management

Your website is the the most important tool for your organization not only for branding but it tells lot of things about your organization especially about management. If you can not manage your website properly than your management is suck.


If you do not update your website regularly it shows how lazy your management is.


If you do not install social media plug ins in your website than it shows your branding is dead.


If you do not have great content on your website than it shows how poor is your creativity.


Your website is your first impression towards the whole world and if you fail in the first impression than do not except any miracle from online world.


If your website is not simple than it shows your mind is conditioned to seek complex solutions.


Every world class organisation has a world class and up to date website. Now compare your website with websites of these organizations only then you will be able to understand where do you stand. Your website is creating image of your organization in the global market. Please do not make it suck because if your website is a suck than your image in global market is suck. Please make it first priority and update it right now.
If you need help and tips please visit my great post -

Tips for keeping your website fresh and great

Hope to see quick changes in your websites very soon.